Sitting one minute behind Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) in the general classification, Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) has stated that the real Vuelta a España will begin on Wednesday, with the only long time trial of the race, followed by numerous stages in the high mountains.
In comments at a team press conference on the rest day, Contador indicated that the biggest factor in the first nine days of racing had been the heat, but that this would change as things got more difficult heading into this week.
A flat stage on Tuesday is followed by the 40km time trial on Wednesday, though the test is far from flat, another factor according to Contador. Another punchy finish into Dumbría on Thursday should favour the powerful hill climbers and could cause a few seconds to open on the GC, similar to that which occurred on stage nine, when Rodriguez added to his advantage as stage runner-up behind winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing).
Another flat day on Friday is followed up by three consecutive days in the mountains, and three consecutive summit finishes, which could cause an amount of attrition in the true GC contenders that tops that of the time trial.
Facing a lack of racing days in his legs, Contador will hope to handle the accumulating pressure that the coming week brings.
“We have experienced a few days with fatigue and tiredness, but now the Vuelta truly begins,” Contador stated on his rest day. “I think the individual time trial and the coming mountains will take their toll on the overall classification. On the coming stages, the differences will be bigger than last week.”
Rodriguez, the current race leader by 53 seconds over Christopher Froome (Sky Procycling), and a further seven over Contador, has padded his lead over the course of several stages. He has used short finishing climbs that suit his style, grabbing a stage win and bonus seconds on several other occasions.
Contador seemed to intimate that the Vuelta so far had been best styled toward Rodriguez, but that it would now turn toward his own liking.
“It’s been a long period of time without competing for me and the parcours have so far been suitable to the explosive riders,” he added. “Now it will be suitable to me and the climbers. We’re going into a terrain where I feel more comfortable.”
Before riders reach the high mountains, they tackle the 40km time trial on Wednesday. Beginning at 10 metres, the course rises to nearly 500 metres at the midpoint before diving back down into Pontevedra. With the up-and-down road on the menu, Contador believes that this does not discount Rodriguez, well known for his past struggles in the TT.
“It seems to be a pretty good time trial for me, but also for the other three in the top of the GC [Rodriguez, Froome and Alejandro Valverde – ed.],” said the Spaniard. “There’s one climb and one descent, and that’s better for a rider like Joaquim than if it were a purely flat time trial.
“I think the four of us will perform well and the outcome of that stage will decide the tactics in the big mountains.”